Self-attending depending fire hose



May 28, 1957 c. L. scorT rs1-AL 2,793,701

SELF-ATTENDING DEPENDING FIRE HOSE Filed March 16. 1955 *f* Y x y INVENTORS AT TORNEY United VStates Patent O DEPENDING FIRE HOSE Charles Scott and John C. Klnck, Memphis, Tenn. Application March 16, 1955, Serial No. 494,787 2 Claims. (Cl. 169-2) This invention relates to water distribution and to the mann-er lof applying the same in large quantities and particularly where great pressure and selective application is necessary or desirable as, for example, in the fighting of tire.

The invention relates specilically to equipment and tec 'que employed in the distribution of water `and by means of which water can be discharged under great pressure and in a large stream through a tire hose or the like with a nozzle on its discharge end which nozzle ordinarily is held by men who direct the stream of water upon a fire.

In the `fighting of fire it is frequently necessary to supply w-ater to a lower elevation as, for example, in a cellar, and entrance is frequently had by chopping away the wall, ceiling, or iioor, and iiremen enter and undertake to put out the re but sometimes are subjected to great danger and are injured `or lose their lives when so doing. The need, therefore, arises for a self-attending fire hose which can be employed in va cellar or other restricted area without the necessity for firemen having to direct the hose.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the diliiculties above mentioned and to provide a self-attending tire hose which can be introduced `or lowered into a cellar or other restricted area, and which will discharge a constant spray or fog or water in other form, according to the nozzle selected, so that Water can -be used most eifectively in extinguishing a iire low in a building where difficulty is frequently encountered and without endangering life and limb.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple depending self-attending iire hose to which a number of supply pipes may be `attached `and with one or more discharge ports and connections through which water may be discharged for putting out a re in a restricted or other area.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and easily usable device which may be quickly installed and effectively used for supplying water in a restricted area to put out ire which need not be attended and which ordinarily will not be damaged by heat and which can be recovered after a 4fire and re-used.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrating a device of the present invention in position of use;

Fig. 2, a top plan view;

Fig. 3, a section yon a line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, a section on large scale on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5, a similar view in which the plug and attached diverter are removable; and

Fig. 6, a detailed perspective of the diverter plug.

Briey stated, the invention comprises a self-attending lire hose which can be dropped or let down into the cellar or other portion of a burning building through an entrance chopped or otherwise made in the wall, ceiling or 2,793,701 Patented May 28, 1957 floor, such unit comprising a pipe having an inlet header at `one end and one or more outlet oriiicesat `the other with connections for attachment of supply conduits and discharge nozzles of different kinds, and with a diverter for deecting and directing the water through the discharge nozzles. f

With continued reference to the drawing the invention comprises a unit which can be `let down through an opening cut or otherwise occurring in wall, ceiling Ior floor and lowered in a building where it is desired to extinguish iire and through which it is desired to .supply water without the necessity for the same being attended and exposing the iiremen to danger.

The device comprises a pipe 10 designed to be disposed in an upright position with an inlet header 11 at its upper end having a plurality of female connections 12 into which male connections 13 of supply pipes 14 are adapted to be threaded, such male connections being on the end of hose for supplying water into the header.

The pipe 10 and header 11 may be connected in any desired manner as, for example, by a weld 15 so that water through one or more supply lines 14`may flow -downwardly into the pipe 10.

At its lower end the pipe 10 is provided with one or more openings 16 and male connections 17 for attachment of discharge nozzles of fog, spray or other desired character.

The lower end Aof the pipe 10 is provided with a closure plug 18 which, as shown in Fig. 4, is welded in the end of the pipe 10 in order to cause the water to iiow through the respective openings. In order to facilitate discharge of water through the discharge oriiices a 4diverter plug 19 is provided having opposed tapered surfaces 20 and 21.

Instead of the end of the pipe 10 being stopped by a closure plug 18 welded in place a plug 18' may be threaded into the end of pipe 10 and such plug may have a wrench engaging portion 22 by means of which it may be screwed tightly in place or removed.

It will be apparent from the foregoing `that a relatively simple self-attending fire hose is provided for use particularly in a' depending position, and which is of such character that it will distribute water in a restricted area as long as water is supplied and without attendants. Furthermore, it is constructed in a manner to perform most eliciently and includes a -diverter with a knife edge for splitting the water and causing the feeding of the water to and through the several discharge openings. The number of ilat sides 0f the diverter are determined by the number of discharge orifices, each liiat side being preferably at right `angles to the axis of the respective orifice.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the speciiication, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A 'self-attending depending lire extinguishing device adapted to be inserted downwardly through an opening in a door and due to its construction remain supported in depending position unattended, said device comprising 'a relatively heavy length of pipe, an enlarged header at one end of said pipe and having a plurality of lateral hose connection couplings extending substantially at right angles to said pipe, multiple lateral outlets `adjacent the other end of the pipe, a plurality of iiexible supply hoses having detachable connections with `said lateral couplings disposed substantially in the same plane, and substantially at right angles to said length of pipe and within the lateral area of the opening in the door, whereby the supply hoses will engage and rest upon the surrounding area `of a floor having said opening through which the pipe is inserted, and whereby said ,pipe will be maintained in operative depending position for the discharge of Water without human attention. i

2. VArdevice as set forth-in claim 1,V including a `closure for the other end iof the pipe below the lateral outlets, `and a diverter Within the lower.v end of the ypipe attached to said closure, said diverter having inclined plane surfaces located substantially at right angles to the lateral outlets.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Oliver y Ian. 12, Hart June 8, Sladden Nov. 2, Somes June 8, Getz Feb. 8,

McCann Sept. 5, 

